§ Mr. Robert Taylorasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what action he is taking to recover the £15,000 of social security benefits fraudently obtained by Manuel Kuforija Ijoma for which he has been sentenced to three years jail and the further £9,000 fraudently obtained by the woman with whom Ijoma was cohabiting.
§ Mr. PrenticeIt is the Department's policy to take all practicable steps to recover overpayments of benefit, and those resulting from fraud are regarded in a276W particularly serious light. In the case cited, our inquiries have shown that at present neither party has resources from which recovery could be made: but the case will be kept under review, and any appropriate measures that may be taken in an attempt to recover the overpayments will be considered.